American White Pelican

I encountered these birds as they were migrating up from the Gulf coast and further south through Missouri up into the northern states and in Canada.



They stand about 4' tall with a wing span of 9'. They scoop up fish as they swim in the water. They do not plunge into the water for food. They at times will form a line and herd fish to shore where the fish are easy to scoop up.

Foraging areas are marshes, rivers and at lake edges.




I saw this bright white through the trees as I walked up to the Missouri river. As I got closer I realized they were birds. American White Pelican.

I was shooting through some brush so as not to  be seen by them. Yet after a short time they were on to me and started to get nervous. Most of them took off till only a few were left on the dike.




Psalm 102:6
I resemble a pelican of the wilderness;
I have become like an owl of the waste places.







This encounter reminds me I am just passing through. This world and city are not mine. My home is in heaven. The Pelican lives by the water. In Psalm 102:6 refers to being in the wilderness. There is no place for the Pelican to live naturally  in the desert. Christians are like Pelicans in the desert. We don't thrive in this world. We are of the Kingdom of God. Yet we can make a big influence here by the power of the Holy Spirit.

It is not with our ability but God's which allows us to be effective here.